The Boston Celtics, with Kristaps Porziņģi made a statement early in the NBA Finals. The Celtics jumped out to a big lead early, ahead by 29 at the half, and eventually coasted to a 107–89 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night at TD Garden. It was the eighth consecutive win for the Celtics, now holding an unblemished record in Game 1 this postseason.
For their part, Luka Dončić and the Mavericks find themselves in unfamiliar territory as they trail in an NBA Finals series for the first time since the one they won back in 2011 with Dirk Nowitzki. Heading into the game, other than all the drama, the Mavericks had won five straight road games.
Kristaps Porziņģis Sparks Celtics'
It was Porziņģis' first game back after sitting out the last 10 Mavericks games with an injury. His early contributions were significant, scoring eight first-quarter points that included a power slam and a heavily contested basket. His early surge at least largely contributed to the double-digit lead, which had the Mavericks calling for an early timeout.
Following the timeout, Porziņģis drilled a deep three and then swatted a shot to ignite a Boston fast break for three. That began a 23-5 run for a 17-point lead, which was the most significant first-quarter advantage in NBA Finals Game 1 history.
Celtics Extend Dominance into the Second Quarter
The Celtics wasted no time and opened the second quarter on a scoring run to build a 21-point lead. They opened the second quarter with 21-11 and held as much as a 29-point lead. Their three-point shooting was relatively constant as the team hit 11 of these from long range in the first half. Porziņģis was leading the game in scoring with 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting. For the Mavericks, 3 of their first 13 attempts were from three-point range.
Brave Mavericks and the Furious Celtic
Yet, despite the alarming deficit, the Mavs would rally in the third. Key baskets from Kyrie Irving and a big three from Dončić spurred a 20-6 run that pulled Boston's margin down to eight points.
Boston answered right back, closing the quarter on a 14-2 run to retake a 20-point lead. This helped seal its win against 18 points.
Porziņģis had 20 points and six rebounds in 21 minutes, Jaylen Brown added 22 points for the Celtics on 7-for-12 shooting, while Jayson Tatum had an offensive line of 16 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists. However, he did have six turnovers. Additionally, the Celtics set a Finals record with seven players who made multiple three-pointers.
Mavericks' Attempts and Key Performances
Dončić put up the high 30 for the Mavericks along with ten boards, shooting a respectable 4-of-12 from deep and chipping in all but three of Dallas' three-point makes. P.J. Washington added on with 14 points, while Irving had 12. Dallas scored their lowest point total of this postseason with just 89, adding nine assists to Boston's 23 and nine blocks.
Looking Forward in Episodes With only one game in the scorebook, the performances of Dončić and Irving give Mavericks fans the most joy. The Celtics appear to be in line well for an 18th championship. What's at stake on Sunday in Game 2 is that it's not a must-win for Dallas, but Mavs must stay a close contest before the series shifts to Texas. It would have made their journey toward the championship much more difficult if they had fallen into a deeper hole.
Sports Betting Interest Surges with Celtics' Performance
In addition to making their fans optimistic, the season has attracted a lot of attention and expectation amongst the sports betting fraternity as many look at how to make every sports bet count. The success of Boston in the series has led to changes in the betting odds as there is greater confidence that out of the two teams, only the Boston Celtics would be capable of winning the championship.
Bettors are expected to monitor all the players’ actions as well as any changes resulting from injury or tactical decisions for each match as the series unfolds, with each game being part of a bettor’s strategy. This increased level of betting activity not only amid NBA fans but also college fantasy basketball fans shows just how embedded sports betting has become into the overall consumption of NBA games, thus enhancing the interest in the NBA finals event.
So far, the Celtics have taken a very commanding lead with Porziņģis' return and excellent team play; this has pretty much put together the series. With both teams set and prepared for the next battle, they are posed and ready for a tight one in the fight for the NBA title.
